Babysitting The Amnesiac Lycan King

So I don't say anything.

The silence stretches between us until he finally mutters, "Goodnight, Taryn."

And then the call ends.

I lower the phone from my ear, staring at the screen like it might give me some

kind of answer. But it doesn't.

I let out a breath and lean back against the edge of the bed, pressing my head

against the mattress.

The world feels heavier than usual.

And for the first time in a long time—

I feel completely, utterly lost.

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I stare up at the ceiling, my back pressed against the cold floor, the documents

still sprawled around me. My chest is tight, my thoughts tangled. I should do

something-keep digging, make another call, chase the truth until I bleed for it.

But instead, I just fucking lie here.

I close my eyes. Breathe. Try not to think about him. Try not to think about the

weight of his hand on my skin, the way his voice curled around my name like it

belonged to him. Like I belonged to him.

It doesn't work.

The memory slithers in, uninvited.

I shove it down.

A loud bang makes me jolt up. My door flies open like it owes someone money,

and then there's Zoe-her arms stacked with dresses, a piece of bread jammed

between her teeth, eyes wide and full of untamed chaos. "The fuck-?" I scramble, sweeping the stolen documents off the floor in a panic,

shoving them under my bed like I'm thirteen and hiding contraband from a strict

parent.

Zoe stomps in, completely unbothered. "You," she says through a mouthful of

bread, pointing at me like I've personally offended her ancestors. "Are going out."

I blink. "The hell I am."

"Yes. The hell you are." She marches over, slamming the dresses onto my bed.

The hangers clatter against each other. "Because you need it. Desperately."

I exhale sharply, rubbing my temples. "Zoe, I'm not in the mood for some-"I motion

vaguely at the dresses, at her overly

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11:54 Tue, 25 M

Chapter 76

determined expression. "-whatever the fuck this is."

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+53)

"Oh, I know," she says, too sweetly. "That's why I'm forcing you. Because if I don't,

room, going batshit crazy over documents like

theorist, and I refuse

"I like being a

her hips, tilting her

Talk on how to

And what better way to do that than

something physical?"

narrow my

She grins, all teeth.

tells me I won't

knew I wouldn't like

the

like leather, metal, and aggression. The overhead lights

flashing erratically, casting jagged

Music blasts through the speakers, heavy bass shaking the floor, but it's

sounds of fists slamming into flesh, grunts of pain,

of referees

goddamn underground fight

slowly turn

She smiles innocently.

"You dragged me

she corrects. "Not

her. Then the ring. Then back at

is wrong

a dismissive hand. "You need to let off

and I figured what better

voice

kill you when she finds

I whip around.

ring, arms crossed, expression

ever-is Jacob Wyatt.

I blink. Hard.

whip back to Zoe. "You planned

Zoe shrugs. "Guilty"

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Chapter 76

throw my hands up.

tonight," Jacob says casually, like he didn't

Slowly turn back to

Jacob smirks. "Fighting."

"For what?"

just looks at me.

And

the way his

stomach

drop.

crawls up my spine. "Jacob,"

is fighting anyone or

He doesn't reply.

Just smiles.

then I

cutting through the thick air like a

and gentlemen, the match you've all been

erupts. The crowd

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ring. Two fighters are already inside-one

And then, without warning, they brutalize

It's not a sport.

It's war.

English guy lands a hook to the Italian's

swear I feel it. The Italian retaliates,

slamming him into the

My stomach churns.

isn't a normal fight. This

hiss. "I want

urges, grabbing my arm.

fucking

ends with a knockout. The

The crowd goes wild.

announcer's

unlike any you've seen

The lights cut out.